


Heart and Soul

by babyfairy



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bonding, Established Relationship, F/M, Reunions, Sharing a Body, Soul Sharing, black paladin shiro for life bitch, blackashi, shallura for life bitch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 21:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17129330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babyfairy/pseuds/babyfairy
Summary: The love he feels from her in response to that fills him to the point of overflowing, makes him feel whole like nothing else ever has or ever will.





	Heart and Soul

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I literally do not write anything but canon based shit. Oh well. Enjoy if you read this!

It's cold.

He doesn't have a body, so he shouldn't be able to feel anything anymore, and yet he does. It's cold, unbearably so. The chill has penetrated what's left of his consciousness, pierced it, shredded it. Black does her best - has gone above and beyond by keeping what's left of him within her own consciousness, but she cannot fight off the chill.

It's so cold.

And he can see them, too. He can see through Black's eyes, can see everything that happens to them. It makes the cold worse, somehow; watching the clone take his place, seeing each struggle his team faces without him there to help. Each time one Paladin is wounded, the chill intensifies, threatening to turn him into nothing. 

And Allura...

Somehow, like this, he's all the more aware of her heartbreak and rage, and the chill from that nearly ruins him. He is utterly helpless here, nothing but a faded consciousness that can do absolutely nothing for those he loves.

It's so, so cold.

He considers giving up. Letting go. Letting the cold have him. Every time he does, Black wraps her soul further around his. But she doesn't try to change his mind. He knows what she would do should he let himself go; she would absorb him completely, keep him within her consciousness forever. And, truthfully, it's comforting, knowing he wouldn't disappear entirely, that this ancient being he has such a bond with won't let him go entirely. 

He does his best to convey this to her, but it's a weak attempt. Still, she understands, and it settles some of his tattered edges.

It's cold.

For a brief moment, the others are close, shocking him. He can almost feel the warmth all five of them radiate, and the brightness of their light is blinding. He tries to reach out, tries for Allura, but she is too far away, too focused on holding the connection. So he tries for Lance, and he almost connects - he can feel Lance's consciousness trying to find his, reaching, reaching -

and then they're all gone, and so is their light, and with it all, their warmth. He is left alone again. Black nudges him, tucks him within her warmest recesses in an attempt to comfort him, but it isn't enough.

It's so cold.

He has no recollection of time passing. He is tired, and all he can do is watch through Black's eyes. It's harder to hold now, harder to stay present.

And then the light returns, bright and blinding, a flash of crimson that spikes through the soft violet of the atmosphere. Keith. He would know that light anywhere. 

The heat reaches for him, but it doesn't quiet touch him, hovers out of his reach like a cruel temptation. Still, he focuses on Keith, conveys everything he's been trying to tell them all from the start.

_I died, Keith. My body is gone._

The horror in his brother's eyes stirs something inside of him. Heartache. And then Keith is gone, taking his light and warmth with him. It hurts his eyes, the sudden darkness around him. And the loneliness nearly ruins him.

It's so, so cold.

He watches them all, but it's difficult now. Maybe this is it. Maybe it's time to let Black have him completely. 

But he'd like to stay a little longer, just a bit longer, to make sure they will all be okay. Safe, at least. He knows that time can eventually heal all things enough to function, and he'll accept that. Just as long as they all get out of this alive. Just a little bit longer.

But then the light returns. It's white this time, not red, brighter and stronger and so intense he has to close his eyes. But he knows. He knows, with every torn bit of him, that this time, it's Allura. Her warmth reaches him instantly, so hot it almost hurts, and envelopes him in an embrace as pure as the heavens, as pure as life itself - as pure as her.

The shredded and tattered parts of him heal instantly. Her light surrounds him, lingers to wake him up. _Shiro. Shiro, I'm here._ It's soft, her voice, gentle and coaxing as she gives him a moment to adjust. So considerate, just like she always is. _Come with me. It's time to come home, Takashi. Come home to me._

And so he does. He lets her lead him forward, follows her light. Black lets him go with a soft rumble and he pauses long enough to brush against her consciousness with his, thanking her for her protection, promising that he'll be back with her soon. He continues to follow Allura, tucked into the searing heat of her power. It's settled around him now, a comfort he hasn't known in so long. 

Leaving Black's consciousness feels a bit like being pulled in two. For a brief moment, he's free floating, disoriented by the sensation, but Allura is still there, waiting patiently. She guides him further away from Black, guides him into the vessel waiting for them.

She guides them into her own body.

Maybe there isn't a way to describe the sensation. Disorienting comes close; weird is too underwhelming. Her body is compact, much more slim than his was, yet he recognizes instantly the power she holds within such a disarming frame, and the vastness of it would steal his breath away if he could breathe. Hers is a vessel of knowledge, of strength, of grief so all encompassing it's a wonder that he can exist beside it. Her power is boundless, and he sees it here, made up in the richness of her blood, the beating of her heart, the way her lungs expand.

And inside of all of this is her soul. It's purity itself, a light so bright that there is no proper way to describe it. He isn't surprised, he's always known of her perfection, but it leaves him awestruck anyway, makes him feel humbled to be in such a presence.

And safe. Her power and her being makes him feel safe. He feels like he's at home here, like he was meant to be with her this way. The light moves towards him. Its brightness doesn't hurt, but soothes instead, surrounds him in a manner he knows to be instinctive. 

_I have you now. I will not let you go again. I'll keep you safe here, right here._

If he could cry, he would. How can he convey that that's all she's ever done for him? Shiro moves into the heat of Allura's embrace, lets her light surround and consume him. He tries to impress this upon her, with his soul so battered and bruised, that she's the only person in the entire galaxy to make him feel safe now. It's a feeling he hasn't known since he lost his family, and to have it again makes him tremble.

If he could cry, he would. But he can't, so he huddles into Allura instead, lets her soul soothe his in the way that only she can. Distantly, he thinks of the term soulmates, a concept so loved on Earth, and wonders if it's actually true. Because if it is, he knows who his soul belongs to.

He doesn't know how long he stays with her. Maybe it's forever; he wouldn't mind. She's kept her promise, kept him safe and sound inside of the heat she emanates, kept him warm and whole. Here, he can't even remember what cold is, what it feels like. He only knows heat. He only knows love.

And then Allura begins to leave him. He can feel it, the gentle shift, the way her light begins to unravel around him. Shiro cries out, his soul shuddering violently in protest, but warmth glides over him, a gesture he knows is meant to soothe him.

_Easy, my love. Relax. I'm putting you were you belong._

_I belong here. With you._

The love he feels from her in response to that fills him to the point of overflowing, makes him feel whole like nothing else ever has or ever will.

_You do belong with me, but you belong in your own body as well. I've made one for you, Takashi. Come now, where I can touch you and hold you in my arms. Where you can hold me in yours._

Her love pulses around him like a heartbeat, steady, strong, and soothing.

_When it's our time, we will be together like this among the stars, my soul and yours, bound for eternity. But that isn't today. Now come with me. Let me return you to your body._

He's reluctant, but he follows her, allows her to coax him back into the openness around them. It's scary, free floating, but she never leaves him, stays with him as he sinks into the vessel she guides him to. 

Now he remembers what cold feels like. It floods him, shocking him, and he wakes with a gasp, body jerking. And still, she's there, her hands on either side of his head, holding him in place. Her power glows around them, fills every inch of him until the cold recedes and all he knows is warmth - her warmth. The power fades and with it the light in front of his vision, allowing him to see.

His heartbeat is loud in his ears, and for a long moment, he's disoriented. He's hyper aware of everything, of the room around him - of the limb missing from his left side. Shiro blinks rapidly and shifts, twists with a sharp breath. Nothing hurts, but everything is - stiff, awkward. He flexes his fingers, the ones he has left, flexes his toes, blinks again.

"Takashi." 

His name in her voice is soft, tender, loving. It settles him immediately. He tilts his head, still in her hands, and finds her gaze. Allura smiles down at him, strokes his cheeks. He can see tears shimmering on her lashes.

A soft laugh bubbles through her. "Your hair matches mine now," Allura whispers, brushing her thumb through the hair at his temple. 

Shiro smiles weakly at her. He can only see a little tuft hanging over his forehead, but he believes her.

He becomes aware of the others hovering around them, the way the anxiety fades away into sheer relief and joy. Keith reaches him first, rests his head on Shiro's chest. The tremors running through Keith shake his frame. Each of them reach out, touch him in some way, needing the physical proof that he's really returned. 

All the while, Allura leaves her hands on either side of his head. Her touch is warm; her fingers sift into his hair, soothing to his still fractured sense of reality. This, he knows. This, he understands. 

"You found me," Shiro whispers.

Keith lifts his head and nods. "Black showed me." His voice is thick, unsteady; he reaches down, grips Shiro's hand. "She took me to where she was keeping you. I immediately told everyone, and Allura..." Keith looks up at the princess, shaking his head slowly. "I don't know how she did what she did. But she did it. She did all of this."

Allura's smile is soft. "With your help," she reminds him gently. "With The Black Lion's help." Her thumbs glide down Shiro's temples. His eyes flutter closed. 

He shifts, moves his legs, flexes his hands, raises his shoulders. His body feels heavier than he remembered it being; then again, he'd never left his body before, either.

Hunk catches on first and reaches for him. "Up you go, buddy," he murmurs with a smile, sliding his hands under Shiro's arms. Heat radiates from him, seeps through the thin shirt covering Shiro's torso. He sits up with Hunk's assistance, grasping his forearm for support. 

The room around him spins for a moment. Shiro blinks rapidly, trying to adjust to the sensation of sight, to the feeling of motion and what it's like to move once more. Now that he feels more coherent, he recognizes the cargo hold of The Black Lion.

Of course. Shiro closes his eyes. He shouldn't be surprised.

She reaches out to him then, brushes her consciousness against his. Black returns to him the way the sun rises; slowly, warming every bit of him that she reaches. Shiro closes his eyes again and lets himself experience the sanctity of their bond. He thanks her with every bit of emotion he can muster, thanks for her protecting him, for saving him the only way she knew how.

She responds with affection, with a sweetness that fills his heart. He feels her settle into him, settle into his soul where she belongs.

But she isn't alone there anymore. He can feel something else there - _someone_ else. Allura. Shiro touches his chest, the spot where he's always imagined his soul to be. He feels... Whole. Complete. He twists around and his eyes meet hers and he knows instantly that his soul is with hers as well. Somehow, they've bonded, thanks to what she did for him. 

Her eyes shimmer in the soft light and he feels a thick lump form in his throat. 

He sits like this, surrounded by his family for a long while. Keith's space wolf, named Kosmo by the others, cozies up to Shiro and makes him smile for the first time since his return. The creature's fur is surprisingly soft, his presence calming; just like a dog would be. He listens to the others chatter, listens to them filling him in on all that he's missed, with his hand buried deep in Kosmo's fur.

Allura remains at his side the entire time. Her arms are twined around his, the damaged one; her hands rest just above the cut off point, fingers laced together, as if she can keep him from disappearing again if she holds him like this. He lifts his gaze from her hands to her eyes, notes the exhaustion there, and presses a kiss to her temple. Allura shifts closer and tucks her head to Shiro's shoulder, hides her face in the crook of his neck. He lets his knee fall against hers in a silent gesture of comfort.

Eventually, the others return to their Lions. Coran chooses to ride with Pidge, Romelle chooses to ride with Hunk, and Keith and Lance return to Red and Blue. Shiro watches them go, chattering among one another about where to land for a break next. 

Silence envelopes the room when the doors shut behind them. Shiro feels his shoulders drop, feels his lungs shudder through a long sigh. He feels Allura's hands tighten around his arm. Immediately his attention is on her.

"Princess," he breathes, and feels her inhale, feels her shoulders tremble.

She begins to cry and it immediately tears at his heart. Shiro tugs Allura closer to him, wraps his arm around her, tugs her into his lap. She doesn't need much convincing to be there; her arms wind around his neck in a tight grip, legs winding around his waist in the same manner. 

"I'm sorry," Allura sobs, "I'm so sorry, Takashi, I - I should have - I should have known, I should have done something-"

"Stop, top." His voice is low, fierce. Shiro leans back, lifts his hand to Allura's cheek, turns her head until her eyes meet his. Tears glimmer on her lashes, streak down her cheeks. She looks devastated, heartbroken, and worst of all, afraid. As though she thinks he'll somehow reject her for circumstances out of her control.

"Don't blame yourself," he whispers, wiping at the tears on her cheek. Her skin is flushed, hot beneath his touch. "It is not your fault. It isn't. It was a fucking mess and no one really knew what was happening. But it isn't your fault."

Gently, Shiro brushes Allura's hair away from her cheeks. "How did you do it?" he asks softly. He glances down at his body, rolls his shoulders. "This, how - how did you manage to make my body?" The details of it are immaculate, almost perfect; the only differences now are the missing limb and his hair.

"Oriande," Allura murmurs, and she begins to explain her journey to the place only the most worthy Alteans can access in a soft voice.

It's stunning, the power she wields. Shiro listens in silence, trying in vain to absorb it all, trying to wrap his head around the extent of this. When she finishes, he watches her for a long moment. 

"You're incredible," Shiro whispers.

Her eyes fill with tears again. "I've missed you," Allura breathes. "I didn't know how to do any of this without you. I felt so lost and alone, and when Keith told me..."

"I'm sorry." He holds her closer, tighter, presses his cheek to her hair. She trembles in his arms; he can feel her heart thudding harshly against her ribs. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. If I hadn't rushed into that fight with Zarkon the way that I did, this wouldn't have happened. All I knew was that - he'd hurt you, I thought maybe he had taken you from me and I just... I'm sorry."

Allura's arms tighten around his neck to the point of pain. Shiro welcomes it, grips her waist with the same intensity. He closes his eyes and holds her like this, lets the proximity of her presence, her touch, soothe him like nothing else ever can. He holds her while she cries, lets himself cry with her. He holds her while she relaxes, and he holds her for a long time after they've both settled.

Eventually, the exhaustion wins out. Shiro lays back against the thin mattress they sit on, smiling as Allura adjusts herself to be more comfortable. She relents her hold on him and unlocks her limbs, choosing to lay down beside him with her head on his shoulder and her arm over his torso. Her fingers curl in his shirt.

"Where are we headed?" he asks.

"For Earth." Allura sighs. "The Castle of Lions was destroyed a short while ago. We managed to pick up a distress signal from Pidge's father so we're heading there in hopes of arriving before The Galra do."

Shiro exhales. "I have a lot to catch up on."

"You do, but not right now. Right now, the only thing you need to catch up on is rest." Her other hand slides across his chest to rest over his heart. He can feel it beating into her palm.

 Shiro turns his head to look at Allura. Her eyes are closed; she's still awake, he knows, but the exhaustion she's been carrying is beginning to take over. He lifts his hand and brushes her hair away from her face.

"I love you," he whispers.

Her eyes open immediately. She sits up suddenly and stares down at him in shock. He meets her gaze with a steadiness he doesn't quite feel. The hand on her head slides down her shoulder, down her arm, comes to rest on her waist.

"I should have said it sooner. I was scared to, afraid that..." He sighs, shakes his head. "I was afraid that you didn't feel the same way. I was afraid that you couldn't."

He drops his hand and pushes himself up. Allura stays where she is, inches from him. The look in her eyes is one of shock, one of sadness. She opens her mouth, but Shiro shakes his head again.

"It was my own insecurities that made me think that way. But I see now that I was wrong." He gives her a weak smile. "Either you do love me, or you made me a brand new body and brought me back to life for shits and giggles."

Allura laughs softly. She shakes her head, reaches up to frame Shiro's face with both hands. He recognizes the look in her eyes now, knows it to be love. "Shiro, you silly man," she murmurs, "I do love you. I love you so much that I ache with it." She leans into him, touches her forehead to his. "I was afraid to say it, too, for many reasons. But I do love you."

His heart lurches, swells against his ribs, threatens to burst. Allura tips his chin up and closes the space between them with a soft kiss. It melts him, utterly melts him, turns him into something soft and malleable. He returns her kiss and he knows that, once again, he's being reshaped by her; she changed him once before, and she's doing it again by letting her walls down and letting him into her heart.

Shiro lifts his hand and slides it into Allura's hair. He cradles the back of her head and kisses her again, kisses her slowly, taking his time to reacquaint himself with her the shape of her lips, the soft sighs she makes when his tongue slides against hers, the familiar taste of her, sweet and elusive and so perfectly Allura. 

He breaks the kiss reluctantly to breathe and rests his forehead against hers. His body feels alive suddenly; heart pounding, blood racing, skin hot and flushed. Shiro exhales slowly. For him, it's just another reason as to why he fell for the Princess - no one else has ever had quite the affect that she does on him, not only physically, but emotionally as well.

Allura places her hand on Shiro's chest and pushes him back until he lays down. "Rest," she commands softly. She leans over him, her hair cascading across her shoulder, spilling over him, and kisses him again. It's soft and sweet, a gesture of tenderness. Allura moves her hair out of her way and settles down beside Shiro. She returns to her resting place on his shoulder and slides her arm across his middle once more. This time, her fingers remain relaxed, but her hand rests against his hip with a light pressure that comforts them both.

It isn't difficult to fall asleep; as it turns out, adjusting to being alive again is truly exhausting. Shiro sleeps deeply, sleeps for hours. He stirs only when Allura does and forces his eyes open to watch her sit up. She reaches for her helmet and listens to the static filled chatter coming through. She puts it down after a moment and stretches, then returns to Shiro's embrace.

"Pidge thinks she's found a decent place to land for a while," Allura murmurs, resting her chin on his chest. 

Shiro turns his head away to yawn and nods. "Guess we should get up." He smiles at the less than happy hum he gets in response. Shiro twists onto his side and swoops in, presses several kisses along Allura's cheek. She squeals, grips his shoulders and pushes at him, but there's no real fight behind it. She accepts his kisses, turns her head to capture his mouth. The kiss deepens and he sighs into it, lets his body come to rest against hers.

The shape of her is familiar under his wandering his hand, calls to him as she shifts and brushes her knee along his thigh. "We have a lot to catch up on," he whispers against her mouth, sliding his hand down her leg to squeeze her thigh.

Allura makes a soft noise in the back of her throat. She kisses him again, kisses him deeply, and nods in agreement. "Soon, my love," she promises, her hand gliding down his chest. "I have missed you in more ways than one."

He moves when she sits up, watching her glide to her feet with a fluidity he's always admired. She begins the process of taming all of that hair into a neat bun, and Shiro watches her with a smile.

He's more than ready for proper alone time with her, but it can wait. He also wants to see the rest of his family, and there are a few things he still needs to adjust to, like using his legs. He doesn't mind waiting; he has her, he has his family, and he's happy to be alive again. 


End file.
